Intermittent feed device



8, 1939- A; s; HOWELL INTERMITTENT FEED DEVICE Filed Aug. 2a, 1936 1 H L Y z \N i U T 3 .w 2/ T E T 3 N W AT l? V. U 2 2 m NUH 1 r1 5%. z 4 T 3 R a a L l 41 F A z 2 I) 3 9T 7 /(\M ,z vn 2 7w 0 I r//// .1

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j INTERMITTENT FEED nnvrcr:

Albert S. Howell, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Bell & Howell Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application August 28, 1936, Serial No. 98,432

9 Claims.

My inventiori relates particularly to intermittent feed devices such as are used on motion picture machines although not limited to this use alone.1

The general object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple, effective and accurate intermittentfeed device which is particularly adapted for use in motion picture machines, the

invention contemplating economy in manufacture and provision for assembly and service adjustment of the mechanism.

With this object in viewrmy invention consists in certain features of novelty in the construction,

, combination and arrangement of parts by which the saidobjects and certain other objects, hereinafter appearing, are effected, all as fully de'-' scribed with reference to the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out-in the appended claims.

In the said drawing- Figure 1 Ba partial view in front elevation of a motion picture projecting machine with parts removed;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a-partial sectional view substantially on the lined-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a vertically disposed frame part, and a vertically extending apertured front face guide member 2 of a film feed guide is secured against a rear face of the frame part I. See Figures 1 and 2.

A carrier member 3 is mouted for vertical movement, adjacent the side of the frame part I opposite that on which the guide member 2 is disposed, by means of vertically spaced headed and shouldered screws 4 passing through vertical slots 5 in the carrier member and screwthreaded into the frame part 2. See Figures 1 and 3. v

A vertically disposed headed screw 6 is screwthreaded downwardly through the upper wall of the frame part 2, and the lower end of this screw is provided with a circumferential groove 1' which is engaged in a slot 8 in a horizontally disposed upper end portion 9 of the carrier 3.

Accordingly manual rotation of the screw 6 by means of the head thereofiwhich is disposed exterior of the frame part 2, effects vertical adjustment of the carrier '3. A helical compression spring l| encircles the screw 6 andreacting on the frame part 2 is operative downwardly on the carrier 3 and thus takes up any lost motion involved with the screw 6 and preventing displacemerit of the carrier incident to such lost motion during operation of theintermittent feed device; 5 A spring I2 has one end secured on the frame part 2, as, designated at l3, and has its other end in pressure engagement with a forwardly extending portion ll of the carrier 3, disposedintermediately of the screws 4, and ,is thusoperative 10 on the carrier laterally of its vertical movement j ing open pivot mounting or hearing disposed-on a forwardly and rearwardly extending axis.

A lever like feed shuttle of generally flat form, generally designated at I8, is provided and consists as follows. The shuttle extends transversely and is disposed in a vertical plane.

One integral end of the shuttle is disposed in a vertical forwardly, and rearwardly extending plane, as designated at l9, and is providedwith opposite alined forwardly and rearwardly extending lugs 21 .providing a pivot bearing formation extending laterally in both directions from the shuttle.

The slots ll form a pivot mounting comprising spaced portions adapted to receive the shuttle therebetween, and the lugs 2| engage downwardly in the slots l'l to form a radially open pivot bearing for the shuttle for pivotal movement thereof in its vertical plane.

A spring 22, of generally 8 ,shape, has its upper end secured on a forward extension 23 of the carrier 3 and has its lower end in downward pressure engagement on the bearing end IQ of the shuttle intermediate the aforesaid bearing engagements thereof and thus maintains said bearing engagements.

A horizontally disposed helical compression spring 24 reacts on the portion I5 of the carrier 3 and engages the bearing end IQ of the shuttle below the aforesaid bearing engagements thereof and is thus operative on theshuttle in the region of said bearing'engage'ments and longitudinally of the shuttle and eccentrically of said bearing engagements and is adapted to urge the shuttle longitudinally thereof against said bearing engagements and to actuate the shuttle in one direction on said bearing engagements. The spring 2| is held in place by extrusions 25 on the portions l5 and I! which are engaged inside of this spring.

The end of the shuttle l8 opposite the portion I9 is provided with a rearwardly projecting tooth 26 which projects through a vertical slot 21 through the guide member 2' for engagement with perforations 28 in a film 29' at the rear surface of the guide member 2 for the feeding of the film.

The shuttle diminishes in width in the plane thereof from its intermediate portion toward the ends thereof, as shown in Figure 1, and is provided with two spaced openings 3! therethrough arranged longitudinally of the shuttle and diminishing in width in said plane toward the ends of the shuttle, thus reducing the weight of the shuttle while providing adequate rigidity of the shuttle in its plane.

The portion of the shuttle on the upper side of the openings 3| is provided with a longitudinally extending laterally oifsetportion 32 which serves to provide adequate rigidity of the shuttle laterally of its plane.

The shuttle is provided with a resilient portion of reduced section in a plane normal to the plane of the shuttle, as designated at 33, which portion is disposed adjacent the pivot mounting of the shuttle and is disposed between said pivot mounting and the oifset portion 32 and the adjacent of the openings 3|.

The portion 33 provides for pivotal movement of the shuttle laterally of its plane for film perforation engaging and disengaging movement of the shuttle tooth 26.

A screw 34 is screwthreaded through the portion I6 of the carrier 3 in parallelism with the axis of pivotal movement of the shuttle in its plane, and a lock nut 35 serves to secure the screw 3 in adjusted position. A flange 3B is secured on the inner end of the screw 34 and engages a notch 31 in the adjacent lug M of the shuttle to form anadiustable bearing for the shuttle operative normal to the pivotal movement of the shuttle'in its plane.

Aforwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 38 is rotatably mounted on the frame part 2 and is disposed above and intermediate the ends of the shuttle ll. Cams 3! and ll are secured on the shaft 38, the cam 39 being a radial cam and the cam 4| being an axial cam disposed immediately to the rear of the cam 39 and facing forwardly.

The upper edge of the shuttle I8 is provided, intermediately thereof, with an upwardly projecting edge interlock formation Land a cam engaged bearing member 43, of molded material such as. Bakelite, is provided with a slot 44 in which the shuttle is engaged, the bottom of the slot 44 being formed correspondingly with the interlock formation 42, as designated at 45, to prevent displacement of the member 43 with reference to its plane in opposition to the radial cam I! for effecting film feed and return movement of the shuttle in its plane, and the resiliency of the reduced portion 33 of the shuttle serves to actuate the shuttle normal to its plane in opposition to the axial cam H for, efiecting perforation engaging and disengaging movement of the shuttle, the cams 39 and ll being timed to effect intermittent feed of the film 28.

Vertical adjustment of the carrier 3 serves for framing? it being noted that the carrier is spring pressed to prevent accidental movement thereof, and adjustment of the screw 34, serves to provide adjustment of the film engaging and disengaging movement of the shuttle.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details de scribed as changes may be readily made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. In an intermittent feed device the combination of a lever like feed shuttle, an open pivot mounting for said shuttle at one end thereof comprising a pivot bearing formation on said shuttle and a cooperating pivot bearing formation one of which is of radially open bearing formation, revoluble means operative'on said shuttle intermediate its ends for actuating said shuttle in one direction, a spring operative on said shuttle in the region of said mounting and transversely of said mounting adapted to maintain the shuttle engaged on said mounting, and a second spring operative on said shuttle in the region of said mounting and longitudinally of the shuttle and eccentrically of said mounting and adapted to urge the shuttle longitudinally thereof against said mounting and to actuate the shuttle in opposition to said revoluble means.

2. In an intermittent feed device the combination of a feed shuttle provided with a pivot formation extending laterally in both directions therefrom, a cooperating pivot mounting comprising spaced portions adapted to receive said shuttle therebetween and having open pivot bearing engagements with said pivot formation on both sides of said shuttle, and spring means operative on said shuttle intermediate said spaced portions and adapted to maintain said bearing engagements.

3. In an intermittent feed devicethe combination of a feed shuttle provided with a pivot formation extending laterally in both directions therefrom, a cooperating pivot mounting comprising spaced portions adapted to receive said shuttle therebetween and having open pivot bearing engagements with said pivot formation on both sides of said shuttle, revoluble means operative on said shuttle for actuating said shuttle in one direction, and spring means operative on said shuttle intermediate said spaced portions and adapted to maintain said bearing engagements and to actuate the shuttle in opposition to said revoluble means.

4. In an intermittent feed device the combination of a lever like feed shuttle provided with a pivot formation at one end and extending laterally in both directions therefrom, a cooperating pivot mounting comprising spaced portions adapted to receive said shuttle therebetween and having open pivot bearing engagements with said pivot formation on both sides of said shuttle, revoluble means operative on said shuttle intermediate its ends for actuating said shuttle in one direction, a spring operative on said shuttle in the region of l 7 bearing formation on said shuttle and a cooperati-ing engagements and to actuate the shuttle in opposition to said revoluble means.

5. In an intermittent feed device the combination of a lever like feedshuttle provided with a strip perforation engaging tooth at one end thereof, an open pivot mounting for saidshuttle at the other end thereof affording feed and return movement of the same and comprising a pivot ing pivot bearing formation-one of which is of radially open bearing formation, revoluble means operative on said shuttle intermediate its ends,

for actuating the same comprising two cams operative on said -shuttle in planes normal to each other and each cam operative on said shuttle in one direction, spring means operative on said shuttle in the region of said pivot mounting and adapted to maintain said shuttle engaged on said pivot mounting and to actuate the shuttle in op position to the cam which is operative to actuate said shuttle on said pivot mounting, said shuttle being resilient and of reduced section in a plane corresponding with the axis of said pivot mountjing between saidcams and said pivot mount ing and adjacent saidpivot mounting for actuating the f shuttle in opposition to the other cam, and adjustable bearing means associated with .said pivot mounting and adjustable and operative on said shuttle in its plane of movement corresponding with the axis of said pivot mounting.

6. 'In an intermittent feed device the combination of a feed shuttle providedwith a pivot formation extending laterally in both directions therefrom, a cooperating pivot mounting comprising spaced portions adapted to receive said shuttle therebetween and having open pivot bearing engagements with said pivot formation on both sides of said shuttle, revoluble means operative on said shuttle intermediate its ends for actuating the same comprising two cams operative on said shuttle in planes normal to each other and each cam operative on said shuttle in one direction, spring means operative on said shuttle in the region of said pivot mounting and adapted to maintain said shuttle engaged on said pivot mounting and to actuate the shuttle in opposition to the cam which is operative to actuate said shuttle on said pivot mounting, said shuttle being resilient and of reduced section in a plane corresponding with the axis of said pivot mounting between said cams and said pivot mounting and adjacent said pivot mounting for actuating the shuttle in opposition to the other cam, and adjustable hearing means comprising a flanged member screwthreaded into one of said spaced apart bearing portions on an axis corresponding with the axis of said pivot mounting and having its flange engaged in a notch of the pivot formation of the shuttle. V

7. A lever like feed shuttle of generally flat form provided with a pivot formation at one end disposed on an axis normal to the plane of the shuttle and with a longitudinally extending laterally offset portion terminating in spaced relation with said pivot formation and with a resilient portion. of reduced section in a plane normal to the plane of the shuttle and disposed between said pivot formation and the adjacent end of said ofiset portion.

8. A lever like feed shuttle of generally flat form provided with a pivot formation at one end disposed on an axis normal to the plane of the shuttle, said shuttle diminishing in width in the plane thereof from its intermediate portion to ward the ends thereof and provided withtwo spaced openings therethrough arranged longitudinally of the shuttle and diminishing in width in said plane toward the ends of the shuttle, a portion of said shuttle on one side of said openings .ings being provided with a longitudinally extends ing laterally offset portion, and said shuttle being provided with a resilient portion of reduced section in a plane normal to the plane of the shuttle and disposed between said pivot formation and said ofiset portion and the adjacent of said openings.

ALBERT 8.. HOWELL. 

